An Enchantment Night Memento
by sanctum-c
Summary: After the play, what better memento for Enchantment Night than some photos?


Tifa was still giggling when they landed in the Gold Saucer's hub; the Event Square play had been quite the experience. Aeris had taken on the role of the great hero Alfred and it had been almost all the other cast could do to keep the story moving in something like the right direction. Aeris outright rejected the script and instead undertook a more radical project of overthrowing the king, befriending the dragon and explaining to Princess Rosa that her father intended to use her to pay off the exterminator. At least the audience seemed to enjoy the proceedings even if the staff hustled Aeris and Tifa out of the theatre somewhat faster than seemed necessary.

"That was good," Aeris said and stretched her arms over her head. "Where now?"

"Well..." Tifa cast around. The ring of transport tubes offered so many possibilities and the night was still young. "Wonder Square? Didn't get to see much of it last time."

"Wonder Square it is!" Aeris took her hand and pulled her into the tube before Tifa could react. A few minor miscalculations in-transit saw them hurtle out of the other end with a little more force than was normal, but they were both at least still in one piece. "Ah, the arcades! Where should we start?"

Something non-game related caught Tifa's eye. "How about some photos?"

"Photos?" Aeris squinted towards the photo booth Tifa pointed out.

"Yeah. A memento." Her cheeks warmed even as the improvised plan formed in her head. "I had fun tonight. I'd like something to remember it by." She bit her lip. "They don't have to be serious or anything. Just... messing around. Or whatever."

Aeris blinked. "Never thought of doing that. Just used them to get photos for passes..." She grinned. "There's not a lot of time between pictures though."

"Yeah, I know," Tifa replied swallowing her nerves. "We'll have to make do. Um. I think some people do really elaborate things for them..."

"Like the play?" Aeris's eyes lit up. "Oh! If we had props we could do re-enact it or something-" She glanced back to the transport tube.

"Maybe another time." And assuming the staff would ever let them back in there. "Come on, I'm sure we can think of something else." Aeris shot one more look back the way they came and strolled over to the photo booth with her. Tifa fished in her pockets for the requisite handful of gil and pushed the curtain to one side.

The cramped booth was not intended for two people at the same time like this. They both perched on the single stool, fidgeting and shifting while they adjusted the seat to the right eye-line. "Okay." Tifa glanced at Aeris and leant back hurriedly; her friend was closer than she'd realised in the small space. "Should we figure what we're doing first or just see what we come up with?"

"See what we come up with," Aeris said immediately.

"Okay. Maybe just a normal picture to start with?" Aeris nodded and Tifa hit the relevant button on the booth's wall. An electronic voice talked them through the various preparations to taking the image - they paid little attention given the photos were not intended for any kind of official documentation. Finally a count-down started. Try not to blink. Try not to blink- The flash left pulsing purple spots floating across her vision. "Next," Tifa said and squeaked when Aeris threw her arms around her, still facing the camera. She had only moments to arrange herself before the camera flashed again.

"Next," Aeris said with a renewed grin. She sat up straighter, stuck her tongue out and held up two of her fingers in a 'v' behind Tifa's head. Tifa mimicked her seconds before the flash went off.

"Last one," Tifa said. No time to see what Aeris was doing now; she clenched her teeth and smiled, curling her fingers into the suggestion of claws. The voice counted down- Something soft made contact with her cheek in the split second before the camera flash. Tifa's brain took the interval between the sensation and the flash of white to realise what might have happened. What logically had to have happened. But could it have really? She blinked, new purple spots drifting across her vision.

Aeris had already pushed the curtain open and was dancing from one foot to the other beside the machine. "These things always take a little bit too long for my liking."

"Y-yeah," Tifa murmured and awkwardly shuffled out of the booth. Had Aeris-? She couldn't have. Could she? Her fingers traced over the spot on her cheek. The photo booth started to whir; the evidence of what had occurred was on the way. She would find out one way or the other in a matter of minutes. Aeris seemed unfazed and unconcerned by- Tifa shook her head. Impossible. There was no way she had-

"Good evening." The voice nearly made Tifa jump out of her skin. She whirled around-

"Nanaki! How's your evening been?" Aeris asked.

"I have finally managed to extricate myself from Yuffie," Nanaki replied with a dour voice while he padded over to them. "She has been trying to convince me to try racing the chocobos."

"You had enough problems staying in the saddle before," Aeris said frowning. "How-"

"By racing," Nanaki said with exaggerated patience. "She meant on the track. Alongside them."

Aeris sighed. "Yuffie... Good thing you got out of there." She grinned and gestured to the photo booth. "We've been taking photos."

Tifa's heart lurched, the sensation doubling when the photo booth whirred again. A set of four images bordered with white dropped into the requisite aperture. She grabbed for the pictures only able to take a quick glance at the images. Confirmation - not that she really needed it; the last photo was of her clear look of shock. Was that the start of a smile on her lips? Or was she reading too much into the picture? "May I see?" Both Aeris and Nanaki were looking at her hands.

"Something's wrong with the machine." Tifa thrust the strip of four photos behind her back. "The pictures didn't come out at all."

"Aw!" Aeris aimed her boot at the side of the booth. "Stupid machine." Was that a knowing look from her a moment later? The moment passed. "We should probably tell someone it's broken though."

"Yeah. If you find someone- I'll- I'll get rid of these-" Tifa hurried to the nearest bin. One last look at the photos before she disposed of them for good. Another last look. Shame to destroy them; the first image one of them together looked pretty good. So did the one where Aeris had her arms around her. And them sticking their tongues out. Even- Even the one where Aeris kissed her cheek. Shame to get rid of any of them really.

Well. Not like she had to. Plus someone might notice the photos lying in the bin if she threw them out here - and that could lead to other embarrassments. Better to keep hold of the pictures and dispose of them - or at least make the decision about their fate - later. Without looking around, Tifa tucked the photos into her skirt and hurried back to her friends.

* * *

The rest of the evening blasted all thought of the photos from Tifa's mind. Between an unwanted Turk intrusion, Marlene's predicament and revelations about Cait Sith's loyalties, the photos were of little concern. It wasn't until she was undressing for bed that she realised she still had them. A moment of confusion when she undid her skirt and the photos fluttered to the floor. Then came realistion and a frantic attempt to retrieve them. A moment too late; Aeris snapped the images up and studied them. "I think these came out really well," she said oft-handed. She turned to smile at Tifa. "Why'd you hide them?"

Tifa's cheeks were already blazing with heat. "Well, they-"

Aeris shrugged and interrupted her. "Which ones would you like?" Aeris held the quartet of images up; the last one was all Tifa could see right now. "Your gil, your choice. I mean, you can have them all obviously, but I'd like a memento too."

"I-" Tifa opened and closed her mouth a few times. "The first and last. If that's okay?" she added hurriedly.

"Perfectly-" Aeris folded the photos along their divisions and carefully tore the first and last off. "Here you go."

Tifa reached out with trembling hands to take the tiny rectangles. No real reaction from her friend; she did not ask why she wanted the seeming boring image of them sat side-by side. Or that Tifa had asked for the image of her own shocked expression while Aeris - with her eyes shut - was kissing her cheek. No good. No matter what the outcome, she had to know. "Why- Why did you-?"

"Kiss your cheek?" Tifa's insides tensed, but she nodded. Aeris merely shrugged again. "Do I need a reason? We were messing around, right?" Of course; Tifa nodded, disappointed. Something unexpected Aeris had come up with on the spur of the moment. Wait. Aeris was not done talking. "And I've always found kissing a great way to express affection." She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a grin.

"Affection?" Tifa stammered.

"I like you Tifa," Aeris said and twisted a ringlet around her finger. "In exactly the way you're thinking."

The pregnant pause seemed to last an eternity; Tifa rushed to fill it after an age of silence. "I like you too. I mean-" She closed her eyes for a moment. "I... I liked it when you did that. And I like you and-"

She broke off; Aeris shot her a wider grin and closed the gap between them. "Would you like to do it again?"

"Yes?"

Aeris was right beside her now. Faint floral scent in the air the closer she got. That same sensation of softness; her lips touching Tifa's cheek again. Tifa bent her head around to catch Aeris's cheek with her own lips. Another grin from Aeris and she stepped back, staring into Tifa's eyes. "Anywhere else you'd like me to kiss?"

Was that a wink? A note of excitement in her voice? Cheesy lines, but Tifa was past caring. With a trembling hand she tapped her lips. "Here maybe?" Aeris obliged.


End file.
